true loves poison • james potter

30

"Johnny?" She asked a little breathlessly. Suddenly the firewhisky dripping down her shirt was the last thing on her mind.

He gave a half laugh, half scoff, "Wow, it really is you."

A headache mixed with the firewhisky coursing through her body, making an odd mixture. Although her mind slammed with thoughts, she couldn't think of a single thing that didn't die in her throat. Leaving her standing in front of him, firewhisky dripped down her shirt, saying nothing and not even looking at him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, seemingly oblivious to her situation, "I didn't know you knew Evans."

"Um," She said quietly while keeping her eyes locked on the wall behind him, she licked her lips. "Not until this year."

"Huh," Taking a swig from his own cup, he nodded, "You know, I've been hearing a few rumors about you."

Adrenaline caused her hands to shake a little, "Yeah?" She asked, feeling detached from the situation.

He nodded, "Yeah." He said, his voice becoming a bit despondent, "Listen, I know I was a total prat last year. And I'm sorry."

Finally gaining her courage back, from the firewhisky or finding them in herself she wasn't sure, she looked at his face. "What?"

Scratching the back of his neck, he continued. "Honestly, I never expected to cheat on you Lori." He sighed, "Listen, I know it's no excuse but, I had too much firewhisky and you weren't there yet and," He shook his head, looking down at the ground. "Look, I didn't mean it okay?"

Hearing him use her nickname again lit a flame in her chest melting whatever had her frozen before. "Johnny." She said firmly, making his head come up so their eyes could meet. "I don't understand what you want from me." Trying to keep calm, she took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm glad you've realized what you did was wrong, but that doesn't mean we're friends now and it certainly doesn't mean I have to forgive you. I don't need to forgive you to move on, and you don't need my forgiveness to move on. I just hope for your next girlfriend that you have learned your lesson."

"Oh come on Lori," He said, grabbing her arm as she turned to walk away, "Listen, I apologized, alright? I don't want you to be angry with me."

Furrowing her brows, she asked, "Honestly Johnny, I don't care what you want." She pulled her wrist from his grasp.

"Lori," Johnny said, following her as she tried to walk away, "It was one time and all I did was snog her, okay?"

Feelings she thought she'd lay to rest a long time ago surfaced again without mercy, "Go away Johnny."

"Lorelei!" Johnny said louder, gaining a few stares as he continued following her. Eventually he grabbed her shoulder, "Look at me."

"What?" She said, matching his tone as her anger built.

He sighed, "I just wanted to apologize, why can't you just accept it?"

"I don't want your apology, I want you to leave me alone."

Turning again, Lorelei tried desperately to shove her feelings back where they came from before he grabbed her again. Unfortunately, tears pricked in her eyes when he pulled her back, "Why do you have to be such a bitch?"

Looking up in a desperate attempt to keep the tears in, she retorted with a matching angry tone, "Why do you have to be such an asshole?"

"I'm trying to be a better person, Lori!" He yelled, successfully grabbing the attention of those around the two.

"This is not the way to be a better person." She responded loudly, not quite yelling back.

He threw his hands up, "Then what do you want me to do, huh? I apologized!"

Ignoring the tears now falling down her cheeks, she yelled back, "I want you to leave me alone." Covering her face with her hands, she felt her emotions swarm her. Remembering she was surrounded by people, she whispered curses to herself. Finding a path, she walked quickly away from Johnny hoping the crowd would stop his pursuit this time.

Finally catching sight of the portrait leading to the exit, she saw Lily talking to James near it. Once again muttering curses to herself, she tried to use her hair to hide her face as she walked past.

Unfortunately, Lily looked over James's shoulder just as she walked by and called out, "Lorelei! Are you leaving?"

Stopping dead in her tracks, Lorelei stared at the portrait longingly and debated how rude it would be if she ran from Lily. While she was debating her odds of actually making it, Lily was next to her, James close behind her, "Lorelei?" She asked again.

Caving, Lorelei turned, "Yeah, I'm not feeling great." Her voice came out scratchy, and she knew her face had to show clear signs of tears as Lily's face turned from confused happiness to confused concern. Behind her James also looked confused, but he didn't say anything.

"Are you okay?" She asked, immediately putting her arm around her shoulders and leading her to a couch. "Talk to me." Lily said, sitting next to her while James sat across from the two in an armchair.

"It's nothing Lily," She said, faking a smile, "Just a bad headache."

Alice approached the area, "Hey Lily have you seen Lorelei, everyone's talking about-" Alice cut off her sentence when she glanced at Lorelei.

Lily glanced between Lorelei and Alice, "Am I the only one that doesn't know what happened?"

Lorelei glared at Alice, fully aware it wasn't her fault.

Alice chuckled nervously and backed up, "I think Frank's calling me actually." She said before backing completely away, speed walking toward the other side of the room.

After her departure, Lorelei put her head in her hands, "I'm so sorry Lily. It's your birthday and I completely ruined everything."

"Oh come on now Lori, there's nothing you could do that would ruin the day for me. I've had a wonderful birthday, but right now it's not about that. I'm happy to be here for you." She sighed, "What happened?"

Leaning back, she looked Lily in the eye. "I didn't even know he was here."

"Know who was here?"

Looking over at James, Lorelei blinked. She had completely forgotten he was sitting there. "Johnny." She said, belatedly adding, "Linwood."

"Who's Johnny Linwood?" Lily asked.

Looking away from James back at Lily, Lorelei said lowly, "My ex boyfriend."

Lily raised her brows, "And you saw him here?"

"I didn't just see him." She said, looking at the floor behind Lily, "I fought with him." Shaking her head she looked back at Lily, "He was demanding I accept his apology for what he did. I refused."

"What did he do?"

Looking again at James, cautiously deciding to divulge the information she thought everyone already knew, she answered slowly, "He cheated on me."

Her anger toward James had taken a momentary pause as she sat across from him. She rationed it was only because Lily was holding her hands so tightly. "I'm proud of you that you didn't accept his apology."

Scratching her inner eye, Lorelei answered quickly, "I just want to go to my dorm and sleep until next year."

Lily chuckled and stood, dragging Lorelei with her. "I don't know if I can allow you to sleep that long, but I think it would be a good idea to get you out of here, and cleaned up." Lily said, looking down at her half dried shirt.

Dragging Lorelei through the portrait, Lily escorted her the whole way back to the Ravenclaw portrait before saying goodnight.